Nancy Ellen Crain Slack lived all but the last 19 months of her 88 years in her beloved Denton, Texas. She died Tuesday, February 26, 2019, in Dallas. She was born at home in Denton on August 17, 1930, to Carrie Mae McDade Crain and Charles Edwin Crain Sr.

She shared stories of those simpler times when even as a young girl she could walk from home to Crain Mercantile, the family store on the north side of the square. She graduated from Denton High School and attended Texas State College for Women, now Texas Women's University. She married Harry Barnes Slack in 1948. They had two children: daughter Randy Ellen Slack and son Harry Barnes Slack Jr.

Nancy worked at the University of North Texas for 24 years, first in the campus bookstore and later as administrative secretary for the Computer Science Department.

Harry Sr. and Nancy traveled internationally and to almost every state in the United States. After retiring, they put a woodworking and painting studio in their backyard and crafted decorative objects that were sold in a shop in Dallas. Nancy was an excellent cook. Her perfect cornbread dressing was a Thanksgiving must-have. She doubled recipes so that everyone went home with abundant leftovers plus homemade biscotti and loaves of banana bread, which her great grandchildren ordered in advance.

Nancy enjoyed weekly card games. Most of the women in the group had been her friends since childhood.  Nancy was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Denton.

She was preceded in death by her husband Harry, her parents and her two siblings, Maurine Crain Brown and Charles Edwin Crain Jr.

She is survived by her children Randy Ellen Slack Killian (Jim) and Harry Barnes Slack Jr. (Rebecca), grandchildren Jason Raegan Barringer (Sheri) and Nicholas Andrew Killian, and great grandchildren Bryn, Jackson, and Robert Cade Barringer.  She is also survived by sister-in-law Ruth Crain, nieces Diane Crain Brooks, Peggy Crain Nolen, and Lela Brown Goodman and their families.

The family would like to thank Joy Mmbifwa, Alice Brown, Mary Lokhart and all the loving caregivers at Hillcrest House, and also the VNA Hospice team.

The family will hold a visitation Sunday, March 3, 2-4 p.m. at DeBerry Funeral Home, 2025 West University in Denton. A graveside service will follow on Monday, 2:00 p.m., at IOOF Cemetery, 711 S. Carroll, Denton. Memorials in Nancy's honor may be sent to VNA North Texas (www.vnatexas.org).